Arthur h



A. H. SWETT.

PACKAGE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE :0, 191a.

1,309,492. Patented July 8, 1919.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. SWETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TAG- COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

IPACKAGE -FAS'IENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 8, 1919.

Application filed June 10, 1918. Serial No. 239,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. Swn'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residin at Cl1icage, in the county of Cook and Btate of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Package-Fasteners, of which the following is a Specification.

The present invention relates to devices for closing packages, more especially such as postal regulations require shall be subject to inspection of contents. This has particular reference to the parcels post and I aim to provide an extremely simple form of fas tener which can be securely applied with great despatch and yet be conveniently releasable in such manner as to permit of as expeditious resecuring and restoration to initial closed condition, while at the same time obviating overlap of flaps, so as to keep the whole fastener as fiat as possible and avoid protuberance of edges or corners which might catch on other packages or other objects.

Figure 1 of the drawings which accompany and form art of this specification illustrates a comp ete fastener in plan view as applied to a box cover of the divided kind; Fig. 2 represents a reverse view of the fastener itself; Fi 3 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale following the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4: is a similar cross-section illustrating the fastener in released condition.

In the drawings the reference letters A and B designate two similar pieces having the same general rectangular outline and preferably made of some substantial paper stock. The undersides of these pieces carry an adhesive as indicated b the stippling in Fig. 2, and the stock is su ciently pliable to permit of its being readily laid over and flattened down upon varying package-surfaces. These two pieces are adapted to meet edge to edge and they are preferably stiflened along the meeting edges by strips a, l), which may also be of paper. They are shown applied to the undersides of the pieces A and B, respectively, and the corresponding areas of the adhesive thereon will serve to unite the strips with said pieces. The strips themselves have no adhesive applied to their undersides but, together with the portions of the pieces A and B with which they are united, constitute the flaps of the fastener.

A suitable number of metal clips will be em loyed to securely hold said flaps toget er flat-wise upon the box or package and flush with each other. The reference letter a designates the base portion of one of these clips which is of thin flat metal which can be readily bent. This base portion underlies one of the flaps and passes through the same and is flattened down upon it in the form of a short tongue 0'. The cli is thus securely anchored to this flap. he base portion 0 will similarly underlie the other flap which is slotted to receive a longer tongue 0 adapted to be bent up from the base and flattened down upon the upper sides of both fla s.

The complete fastener may be made up as shown in Fig. 2 with the metal clips in place and completely closed so that the article is ready for application to a box or package by merely moistening the gummed surfaces of the pieces A and B and properly locating the fastener and pressing it upon the box or package. In fact it is preferable to market the article in this shape because the metal clips will then be closed by mechanical appliances and the tongue 0 completely flattened down.

In Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings the fastener is shown applied to what may be taken as representing portions of a cover of a box, such for example as that now commonly used, and composed of double faced corrugated paper board and having a divided top hinged at the outer edges. Portions of such a box top are designated D and in Fig. 4: the fastener is shown released by bending up the long tongue 0 and disengaging the flap a from it. It will be obvious that having done this, the box can be readily opened, and after inspection of its contents the fastener can be readily secured again by reengaging the flap-slots with the tongues c and bending those tongues down again.

I preferably cut the flaps with rounded edges as in Fig. 1 or oblique edges as in Fig. 2 so as to avoid any corners which might turn up or catch on other packages or other objects. Of course this is not essential and the fastener may be made up in considerable length to be cut into varying sizes as may be required.

It will be seen that the construction above described attains all of the objects primarily stated. I may add that in the form shown it presents an economically manufacturable product and besides the advantage of flatness through avoidance of overlappin flaps, to which I have already alluded, re erring to the matter of catching on other objects, this same characteristic is highly advantageous in the handling of the article itself, as when putting it up for shipment.

It should be noted that the elongation of the tongues 0 so as to overlie both flaps, serves the purpose of effectually preserving the flatness of the fastener by keeping the two flaps flush with each other.

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, a selfcontained separable sticker-fastening comprising two gummed pieces of pliable material with flap-portions meeting edge to edge in the same flat plane, and a metal clip lying flat against said flap-portions bridging the edges thereof and stapled thereto.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a selfcontained separable sticker-fastening comprising two gummed pieces of pliable material with fiap-portions meeting edge to edge in the same flat plane, and a flat metal clip lying against said flap-portion bridging the edges thereof and piercing said flap-portion and having tongues clamped thereover.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a selfcontained separable sticker-fastening comprising two gummed pieces of pliable material with fiap-portions meeting edge to edge in the same flat plane, and a flat metal clip lying against the inner side of both flap-portions bridging the edges thereof and piercin said flap-portions and having tongues clamped thereover.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a selfcontained separable sticker-fastening comprising two gummed pieces of pliable material with flap-portions meeting edge to edge in the same flat plane, and a flat metal clip lying against the inner sides of said flapportions and bridging the edges thereof and piercing said flap-portions and having a short tongue clamped upon the outer side of one flap-portion and a long tongueclamped over the other flap-portion and ex:

tending beyond the meeting edges of the two flap-portions.

ARTHUR H. SWE'I T.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for flvecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

